servitium

So, for the past couple weeks I participated in what you might call a challenge.  I made a particular effort to notice the small acts of service that other people perform daily.  Things that usually go unnoticed or taken for granted.  For me, this was best done by having a small notebook to write things in.  That way, I was consciously recognizing things and spending some thought on them, rather than just a fleeting moment of mental capacity.  My record is more permanent and meaningful.

And hopefully people don't think I'm creepy, writing down the good things they do. :P

Anyway, over the course of just less than 20 days, I recorded nearly 120 various acts of service.  Some were bigger things, like somebody cooking dinner for me when I was too stressed with studying to do it myself.  Others were smaller, like a particular compliment, or someone opening the door for someone else.  Some of the services I recorded were done on my behalf, some on behalf of my friends, and some for people I didn't even know.  Many were performed by my friends, and many others were by strangers.

Doing this gave me some hope for society and the world.  It made it clear that the world around me and the people in it are good.  It encouraged and inspired me to be more generous and gracious toward those around me, whether I know them or not.

The cool thing is that sometimes that can be as easy as a conversation.  There were several times that somebody I didn't know very well would just talk to me as we walked from one class to another.  Although we still don't know each other well and that one conversation didn't have a lasting affect on our relationship, I was still grateful to have someone to talk to that day; it always brightened my mood.

I encourage you to look around you at the good that other people are doing in the world.  It's a refreshing experience and makes living a little bit easier, knowing that other people around you care about you, as well as the others in their lives.  They care about the world they live in, and they love it enough to improve it, bit by bit.

pars

So, it's New Year's Day.  Happy 2013!

Something you may not know is that the number 2013 has three prime factors: 3,11, and 61.

So my 2013 is going to have three prime factors as well. This is one of the few posts that I'll be talking pretty much exclusively about myself. :P Not super enjoyable (for either of us, I think) but I think appropriate.

Prime Factors of 2013:

1) New people.
Meeting new people is always a good thing. Right now I have so many opportunities to get to know people from different places and lives that have something in common with me, whether that's my education, my sports interests, music...
I want to reach out and see more of the world through other people.
I also want to be able to do more to help the people I meet. Never let an opportunity for service pass you by.
2) Religion.
I want to deepen my understanding of my own religion but also of other religions worldwide. I want to be religiously tolerant and understanding. I want to know where people are coming from in their beliefs and customs. 
3) More reading.
You can never be too well-read.  And there are hundreds of books that I've been wanting to read and have never gotten around to, as well as books that I think I need to reread.  Not to mention books (and articles and websites and any other literature) about things I want to learn about.  Even though I'm attending university right now, I'm tragically limited to only 18 credits or so, so if I want to learn about everything that I want to learn about, I must read furiously.

So there you have it.  I think this should be manageable for 2013, to remember three big things to focus on.  (Much better than, say, 2012, which has prime factors of 2, 2, 2, 2, 503, and 2.)

What are your prime factors of 2013 going to be?

do

Perhaps it is time for some acknowledgement of the Christmas season?  I know there are some of you out there who can celebrate Christmas all year long, but for me, I get a little bit sick of it after so long, so I try to hold off until as late as possible.

For example, I don't listen to the Christmas music on the radio. Ever. Partially because the radio has terrible taste in Christmas music, but also because they start playing it way too early, and I think it's almost desensitizing to be exposed for so long.

You know, like being exposed to violence and swearing and sex makes you think it's not such a bad thing.  You build up a tolerance.  Well it's the same way for good things, like Christmas.  If every day after Thanksgiving (or for some enthusiasts starting immediately after Halloween) was full of Christmas music, Christmas movies, decorating everything for Christmas, reading Christmas stories and dressing like an elf (that was me yesterday at church...) then come Christmas day, there would be nothing special left to do...and it would be just another day in the life of a Christmas enthusiast.

There are, however, some aspects of Christmas that can never get old.  Last year I spent my December entertaining others via music as part of my school's Vocal Ensemble (or "Madrigal Choir", if you roll that way).  While this was exhausting and consuming, it was also really fun.  We had gigs at parties and things, and those were nice, but we also had opportunities to share some great moments as choir and audience in some more special settings.  We sang at a rest home and for church programs and all throughout the community.  My favorite experience was an impromptu performance in the quiet bedroom of a family friend of one of the choir members. And it was beautiful to see the music we had worked so hard to perfect embracing people, strengthening them and comforting them.

This was my favorite song: (Sorry if the video is a little weird.  It's a bunch of views of Logan, Utah. I couldn't find a better video song-wise.)

(Note that this song is not heard on radios or at shopping malls. This song is special.)

There are other aspects of Christmas Spirit that don't really get old for me.  One is service.  People turn December into such a huge service opportunity (think: Project for Awesome*, SilverRush, Toys for Tots, The Salvation Army's drive, and all those other opportunities to help out that you walk by every day.) and I wish that we could direct that much thought, effort and time to charitable causes and other people throughout the year, not just during one small part of it.  But either way it's wonderful to be surrounded by others who are in such giving mindsets because it makes everyone want to do more to love each other and magnify their own lives to include others.  And that never gets old because each opportunity and each experience is so unique and newly touching.

I also love the snow.  Can't have too much snow.

And the food. :D

So enjoy your Christmas traditions and the spirit of the season, and do something special to commemorate everything that Christmas means to you.

*If you don't know what Project for Awesome is, I suggest typing "Project for Awesome" or "P4A" into the search bar of Youtube and educating yourself.  It's worth it. :)